


Pilot Episode, Take Two

by Petri808



Series: Fairytail AU Short Stories & One Shots [9]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Journalist, break ups to make ups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22096867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petri808/pseuds/Petri808
Summary: for a prompt: TrialIt's been 5 years since Lucy had broken up with her high school sweetheart.  She didn't even know why she was thinking about him again.  Except now that college was about to end, maybe sometimes, when thinking about your future, the past comes a calling...
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Series: Fairytail AU Short Stories & One Shots [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/760656
Kudos: 25





	Pilot Episode, Take Two

_“Are you fucking kidding me!”_

_“L-Lucy, I can explain!”_

_“We’re done Natsu…”_

When she opens her eyes again, the professor was still rambling on about expository writing. She rolls her eyes and stretches her legs under the desk. This class was such a bore, but it was a requirement for the Journalism degree. Lucy sighs, and props her head up. Why had she been day dreaming about _him_ again? It’s been almost five years since they’d broken up and while he’d tried to win her back during their remaining months of high school, once they graduated, she’d moved on to college in Crocus and never looked back. Heck, the only commonality was senior year, _she_ was now in her senior year of college that is. 

The droning voice of the teacher made it easy for her mind to wander away, back to that final year of school. First, Natsu had tried the _‘it wasn’t my fault, she kissed me excuse.’_ Yeah, she didn’t believe him considering his hand was… let’s just say _under_ the fabric of the girl’s top. Then it became the _‘you’re the only girl I’ve loved’_ line. Mmhmm, if he loved her so much, he wouldn’t be making out with another girl. He tried sweet talking, sending her gifts, phone calls and text messages… oh god, the text messages. She had to hand it to him, Natsu tried really hard to get a second chance, but Lucy hadn’t been ready to forgive and forget. 

There were moments that she almost caved into his pleas because the truth was… She loved him. But maybe that’s what hurt her the most and why she just couldn’t open her heart back up to him so soon. Oh, well, it was ancient history and in less than two months she would be graduating with her degree and moving onto the next stage of her journey.

**_‘Congratulations Lucy! I knew you could do it <3’ _ **

Her cell had been blowing up all afternoon with calls or messages from friends and family wishing her well about graduating, but as she stared at this message, Lucy was dumbfounded. She didn’t recognize the number except that it had a Magnolia area code. 

_‘Thanks! UwU. Who is this btw?’_

_‘Just an old friend from hs.’_

Well that didn’t narrow anything down. Lucy had been fairly popular in high school, so the culprit of the cryptic message came from a long list of suspects. She nibbles at her bottom lip, should she push for an answer or just let it go? 

_‘What ur name?’_

But no answer ever came. Oh, Well. With all the parties, packing, and moving from the dorms, Lucy forgets all about the encounter, the message being pushed lower and lower as other’s come through. Thanks to an internship position her junior year, she’d even landed a job at Sorcerer’s Weekly here in Crocus, effective immediately. It was a great opportunity and place to start her career.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome!” Lucy’s editor shakes her hand. “It’s so cool I get to work with you again!”

“Thank you,” she blushes. “I’m very excited to learn all I can from you Jason.”

“Oh, I don’t know, seems you’ve already got the inside track down,” he points to her desk. “Someone is happy you’re here. Wish I got flowers,” he chuckles.

Lucy looks at the cubicle and sees a large bouquet of red roses sitting on it. “Who sent that?” Jason just shrugs his shoulders. She walks over with him in tow and finds the card, but all it says is _‘congrats on the new job Lucy’_ with no sender given. 

“You’ve also been requested. It’s a really cool one too!! We’ve been trying to line up an interview with them for months and they’ve told us no until now. The lead singer asked for you by name.”

“Huh?” Lucy is confused. “But I don’t even know any singers.”

“Well he knows you,” Jason winks.

“W-Wait, who is he??” 

“As part of the deal for the interview, we’re not supposed to tell you. He wants to surprise you. Oooh!” Jason bounces from foot to foot in excitement. “I wish I could be there to see it!”

“You’re not coming, I-I have to do my first interview alone?”

“You’ll be fine,” he claps her on the back, “and besides, you did good as an intern, so I know you’ll know what to do. They’re out of town till next month, the date is written on your calendar. Get settled in today and we’ll start tomorrow on your training.”

After Jason leaves, Lucy plops onto her chair. Wow, that had been a rollercoaster! Monday morning, first day on the job, flowers on her desk, and an interview already lined up. Had she won the lottery? The date for the interview was three weeks away. Normally, Lucy wanted to know who she will be talking to, get some research in, and that way she’s prepared. She groans, this could turn out really good, or _really_ bad.

Lucy picks up the card again to analyze it and the strangest feeling washes over her. It reminded her of that text message she received two weeks ago. She sits back, tapping the card on her chin. Could it be the same person? She pulls out her phone and scrolls down to look at it. The verbiage wasn’t _exactly_ the same, but the creepy feeling had settled over her, that blaring alarm bell ringing and pointing towards a relationship. 

_‘Did you send me flowers?’_

_‘Yes, did you like it?’_

_‘It’s very sweet of you, but it’s a little weird not knowing who you are.’_

_‘…… just think of it as me making amends. Gotta run now.’_

“Oh, no you don’t!” She’s about to respond when one more message comes through.

_‘I’m really glad you made your childhood dream come true Lucy.’_

_‘Please tell me who you are?!’_

And just like the last time, the responses end. “Ugh!” She drops her phone on the desk. It was really irritating not knowing who the hell this secret benefactor was, but at least there were clues this time. They knew about her goal from a young age and _‘Make amends…’_ But who needed to make amends? One blaring choice popped into her mind, but she hadn’t heard from _him_ in years and didn’t think he even knew where she was. Hopefully she’ll learn who this mystery person is some day. 

Over the next weeks, Lucy trains each day with Jason on the ins and outs of working for a magazine. Their primary job was doing the interviews, but they worked closely with each of the different departments that puts the whole thing together from the photographers, writers, to the layout designer. It was tiresome trying to learn so much, but she was having a blast doing it. 

Her anonymous benefactor hadn’t disappeared either. At first Lucy was annoyed with this person’s seemingly intimate knowledge of her life, but as time progressed, she had to admit each act or gesture was endearing even when she didn’t completely understand what it meant. From quotes or poems, she once loved to be being sent cute clothes in styles and colors she favored. The things this person sent her never missed the mark! They were spoiling her in such a charming manner, and it was driving her heart crazy. 

A knock at her door nearing 10pm, startles Lucy out of the zone she was in late one Saturday evening. _“Pizza delivery.”_ She hears from the other side.

She didn’t order any pizza. Cautiously, and leaving the chain on, she cracks opens the door, “That can’t be mine…”

“Internet order for Lucy Heartfilia, one medium pineapple pepperoni pizza and a bottle of diet Coke.” The boy chuckles, “gotta say it’s an odd combo but well it’s already paid for ma’am so you might as well take it.”

Lucy blinks, it’s exactly what she would order, had she been the one who’d placed it. “Alright.” She accepts the delivery and puts it on her coffee table with an exasperated sigh. Oh, this had to be the myserious person. 

_‘Pizza at 10pm?!’_

‘ _Guessed you still write late at night. You tend to forget to eat when you do.’_

She balks and stares at the response. It was true and all but, ‘look thank you, I appreciate it but you are driving me crazy with this whole secrecy thing!’

_‘I promise to reveal myself soon. Sweet dreams Lucy <3’_

On the morning of the interview, she’d shown up to work and to another ‘gift’ waiting on her desk. Delivered directly by the jewelry store, it was a small gift box containing a charm bracelet. Of all the presents, this was by far the most expensive to date. Jason was freaking out just as much as Lucy was over her luck. Each charm represented something truly special to her. Ballet slippers from her youth, star is a love she shared with her mother, white dog marked her first pet, pen for a dream of writing, pink heart was her favorite color, but the sixth charm made her heart stop. _A flame._

“No…” she breathes out. “It can’t be.”

“What is it?!” Jason bounces next to her unable to contain his excitement. “Spill it!”

“M-My ex…. I-I think it’s from my high school boyfriend.”

Jason’s eyes widen. “Cool!!! You should wear that to your interview, it’ll look good on you!”

“N-No, I-I can’t,” Lucy shuts the box and slips it into her purse. She gathers her recorder, pad and pen, “I better get going, the car is waiting to take me to the interview now.” Then takes off out of the office before Jason could say anything more.

During the whole car ride to the recording studio where the interview would take place, Lucy couldn’t get her heartrate to slow down. Over and over she replayed all the anonymous contacts they’d had since graduation night. The clues had all been there, but she’d never let herself believe it. Five years…. Five years! Why was he back now?! And why was she so flustered?! Ugh! She couldn’t go into this interview with her mind racing like this! 

“We’re here,” the driver breaks her out of her inner rant. 

“Oh,” Lucy looks up at the building. “Thank you.”

She gets out of the car and a studio personnel takes her straight to a conference type room, explaining along the way that she’ll be interviewing the lead singer of an up and coming band. The employee asks her to please wait there in the room, he’ll be there shortly. Lucy fidgets in her seat. _‘Calm down, calm down,’_ she chants with her eyes closed, _‘get through the interview, go home and scream…’_

The door opens. Lucy looks up and the person that greets her was the one person she didn’t know if she wanted to see. 

“Natsu…” She jumps up from her seat as he comes closer.

“Hey Lucy,” he nervously cups the back of his neck. “Sorry for the…” 

“It was you!” she punches his chest. “All this time! All this time…” she hits him over and over as all of the pent-up emotions she’d been feeling erupts, and tears stream down her cheeks. “Why?!” Lucy finally stops and slumps against his chest sobbing hysterically.

Natsu had expected a harsh reaction, knowing Lucy’d received the bracelet that morning and it gave too pointed of a clue for her not to realize its sender. He says nothing and simply wraps his arms around her, just letting the woman release everything she’s been holding in for probably the last five years. As her sobs slow, he cradles her head gently against his chest, rubbing small circles along her back. He buries his nose in her hair, oh, how he’s missed her scent, and kisses her crown.

“I’ve missed you so much Lucy.” When her only response is a sniffle, Natsu continues. “I was an idiot in high school to have lost you and these last five years have been empty because of it. So, I had my manager help me track you down and that’s how I knew about graduation, your new job, and stuff.”

Her voice is soft, and the anger had dissipated from her tone. “Why didn’t you just tell me it was you?”

“I didn’t know if you would answer if you knew it was me. I gave up winning you back once when I was too dumb to realize…” he lifts her chin, “so this time I wanted to show you how much I still love you.”

“You do?”

He nods his head, eyes crinkling when he smiles and gazes back at her. Natsu smooths a thumb over her cheek, “you are still so beautiful Lucy…”

She averts her eyes. It was all so much to take at once. Not only was her ex the anonymous person but finding out he’s a singer in a band that was growing in popularity. How would she know that this was real and that one day some groupie wouldn’t come along, and she’d catch him cheating again? 

Lucy sucks in the corner of her lip as she processes the situation, but Natsu knows that tell instantly. “Lucy, I swear on my mother I will never hurt you like that again.”

“You can’t make a promise like that.”

“Why can’t I? The fact I haven’t had a girlfriend since you left me should tell you something. I know now, I don’t want anyone else but you. And if you still don’t believe me, just ask Gray yourself, he’s still my best friend and knows everything I’ve done this whole this time.” Natsu takes her hand, “please just give me a second chance Lucy.”

She was so torn. A part of her still loved him too, and she wanted to believe this could work…

“Okay.”

“Really,” his eyes brighten, “you’ll be my girlfriend again?!”

Damn it his grin was still irresistible! “Yes,” she exhales and squeezes his hand back, “I’ll be your girlfriend again. But so, help me Natsu if you screw around this time, I will cut something off!”

“Oof,” that sent a phantom pain to his groin, but he couldn’t blame her for the comment. “You won’t regret it, I swear it.”

Lucy nods and stands up straight, recollecting her thoughts. “Now that that’s settled, am I still doing an interview or was that just to set up this meeting?”

“Oh! Right!” Natsu chuckles, “that’s real.” He grabs her hand and pulls her towards the door, “I’ll introduce you to the rest of the band first…” 


End file.
